Weighted Vest

“Jesus is in such agony that he almost dies before the cross. He is that weighed down and burdened that he is at death’s door…This is our Savior Jesus, in great agony and stress. Which raises the question. What is he so anxious about? What was going on that would make him respond this way?

Jesus asked that the cup be taken away. You see, Jesus is not in agony because he's going to face crucifixion and die. Jesus is not anxious about the cross. Jesus is anxious about the cup. He doesn’t say, take away this death. No, He says, take away the cup. So, what is the cup… the Cup of Wrath on Sin”- Pastor Tony Walliser

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James,and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow - to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
- Mark 14:32-36 HCSB
 
Years ago, I bought a weighted vest for my daughters and their travel basketball teammates to train with, wear in practice and run drills in. It’s a vest that can have as much as 20 pounds of weight in it and can help build core strength as you run and workout with it on.
 
For the teams’ purposes, we started with 10 pounds in the vest and added on to it from there.
 
Now, to the casual reader, ten pounds doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but if you are trying to run, jump and play with that extra 10 pounds on, it can weigh you down.
 
And once they shed the weighted vest, they feel lighter, faster, stronger, quicker.
 
It’s kind of like when I was kid and we could buy an 8-pack carton of 16-ounce Cokes in glass bottles (the kind you could redeem).
 
If we carried those cartons of Coke for any length of time, once we put them down... our arms would sort of rise. Lightened from their burden.
 
All too often, we carry around a weighted vest (and I’m not talking about those extra pounds we can carry).
 
As we carry it, the burden tends to feel heavier and more restricting with every step, with every breath.
 
Our weighted vests tend to be…
 
1. The weight of sin in our lives
2. Excessive life demands (work, family, religion, debt, health)
3. In some places and parts of the world - oppression and persecution
4. Weariness from trying to work and/or do good to try to please God (as if we could somehow earn His grace, mercy, favor).
5. Or anything else that may cause us to worry or will otherwise bring stress into our lives
 
But Jesus reminds us that He will give us rest. He reminds us to take on His yoke, for His fits perfectly. He reminds us that His burden is light.
 
Far lighter than the yoke we have.
 
Far lighter than the burdens we carry.
 
Jesus frees us from the heavy burdens we carry. He gives us rest found in His love, His healing, His grace, His forgiveness, the hope and the peace we find in Him.
 
We will still struggle and labor (no one said a Christian life would be easy), but a relationship with Jesus changes everything. No longer do we work and labor in vain. The meaningless and the burdensome ultimately change into spiritual productivity and purpose.
 
It becomes more and more about Him and His glory, and less and less about us and our burdens, worries, junk of life.
 
Today, let’s take up our cross and follow Jesus. Let’s give Him our weighted vest filled with life’s burdens. Let’s take on His yoke. And we will find rest.

Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
 
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
- Matthew 11:28-30 NIV